11/86. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1025 — Raising Hands to Shoulders
Raising the hands parallel to the shoulders before bowing
Hadith About Raising Hands to Shoulder Level in Prayer
Sunan an-Nasai : 1025
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1025
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا افْتَتَحَ الصَّلاَةَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ وَإِذَا رَكَعَ وَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ .
Salim Narrated from:
It was narrated from Salim that: His father said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he started to pray, raise his hands until they were parallel to his shoulders, (and he did that) when he bowed and when he raised his head from bowing."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1025In-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 150English translation : Vol. 2, Book 11, Hadith 1026
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1025
This Hadith narrates from Salim that his father saw the Messenger of Allah raise his hands until they were parallel to his shoulders. The narration mentions this at the start of the prayer, when he bowed, and when he raised his head from bowing. The core topic is raising hands in salah. This report is close in meaning to other narrations about raising the hands, but it gives the height as shoulder level. The Hadith is useful for people searching for hadith about raising hands to shoulders in prayer. It should be understood within its own wording: it reports what was seen, when it was done, and the level reached by the hands. It does not discuss other prayer positions beyond those named.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet was seen raising his hands at the beginning of prayer.
- This narration reports raising the hands at bowing and rising from bowing.
- The hands are described as being parallel to the shoulders.
- The Companions preserved prayer details through direct observation.
